I know it isn't good to be very vague on problems so i will write all i can. i have not been able to start my '83 interstate this year. It ran fine last year, and now, battery is charged, and all it does is turn over but not all the way over to start it. I lost my stupid password so i haven't been on lately, but i really want to go on a trip over July 4th. other 'symptoms'. Horn will not honk, lights are on and when hit the starting button and holding in clutch to start, they dim slightly. it leaked oil a little last year.. .but now this year alot... that is another problem but i would like to get it started. Any help would be greatly appreciated. thx

When it "turns over"is it turning over real slow or normal.???The headlight....When you push the start button,it should completely kill the power to the headlight.Here's a schematic that might help.

The oil leak...Can you tell where it's coming from? Look close at the weep hole under the water pump area.If it's from there,you'll be replacing the water pump.The horn...You'll have to test the wire on it to see if it has volts.It can be the horn,switch,fuse,etc.Setting up may have stuck a float,you can drain the bowls,rap on them with a screwdriver handle and flush some gas through the system.

virgilmobile wrote:When it "turns over"is it turning over real slow or normal.???The headlight....When you push the start button,it should completely kill the power to the headlight.Here's a schematic that might help.

gl1100 start.JPG

The oil leak...Can you tell where it's coming from? Look close at the weep hole under the water pump area.If it's from there,you'll be replacing the water pump.The horn...You'll have to test the wire on it to see if it has volts.It can be the horn,switch,fuse,etc.Setting up may have stuck a float,you can drain the bowls,rap on them with a screwdriver handle and flush some gas through the system.

turns over normal, after i charge it for awhile. oil leak, i don't know where the weep hole is. are you talking the window that shows the oil level? if so.. no it isn't leaking from there. stuck a float? drain bowls? where are the bowls? are you saying i need to take the carb apart? Oh gosh i hope not...

thank you for your thoughts on this though. But as of today... so far.. .no go.. wont start.. oh.. i forgot i wanted to add that i took it to Larsons last year, and they told me the electric is very bad. they said all the electric needs to be replaced. could that be why it won't start? thanks again...

The "weep" hole....Left side,front of engine.Follow the lower radiator hose to the engine,that's the water pump.Now,follow directly under the bike about 4" behind the hose and look for a small (3/16") hole.If the pump seal is bad it can weep oil or antifreeze there.

Float bowls...On the bottom of each carb.Just rapping them with the butt end of a screwdriver can free a stuck float.

Won't start....You need 3 things to start a engine...compression...fuel..not flooded....and spark.Verify it has spark first.You could pull a plug and lay it on the engine,crank it over to see the spark.